Sally is the love interest of Piston Cup racer Lightning McQueen, whom she first meets when he is sentenced to community service after destroying Radiator Springs' main road.

[9] Like Sally, Dawn Welch is a relative newcomer to U.S. Route 66, having left the travel industry to purchase the Rock Café in 1993 and list it on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

'"When Lightning McQueen sees Sally in traffic court for the first time, he mistakes her as being from his own attorney's office and attempts to flirt with her.

Sally is unamused with Lightning's actions at first and convinces the judge, Doc Hudson, to sentence him to repave the road he destroyed as community service.

She leads him to the Wheel Well Motel, an abandoned motor court in Tailfin Pass that was once the most popular stop on Route 66.

Sally tells Lightning the story of how she grew tired of and left her fast-paced life as a lawyer in Los Angeles and found Radiator Springs, and how the town was originally popular but got bypassed and taken off the map by the interstate.

When night falls, Sally arrives at the town center to find Lightning stripped of his racing modifications and outfitted with a new Corvette inspired paintjob and whitewall tires.

Suddenly, a swarm of news reporter cars and race officials enter the town and surround Lightning, forcing him to leave.

After Lightning returns to Radiator Springs from a successful Piston Cup season, the two go on a date at the Wheel Well Motel, which has been converted into a restaurant.

Lightning goes to defend Mater, and winds up entering himself into the World Grand Prix, which is taking place overseas in three countries.

Lightning agrees, and Team McQueen heads out to Japan for the first race, leaving Sally with Red, Sheriff, Ramone, Flo, and Lizzie to run Radiator Springs.

When Lightning is summoned to the Rust-eze Training Center, Sally chooses to stay with the other cars in Radiator Springs.